The present invention relates to a radio system and a method of testing telecommunication connections of a network element to be installed in the radio system comprising one or more network elements, a base station controller and a network management system.
Modern radio networks are highly complicated systems comprising several different network components, such as base stations, base station controllers, mobile services switching centres, different transmission networks and cross-connection devices. When networks extend or capacity need increases, to build radio networks and to extend existing networks is a demanding and complex procedure that requires a great deal of planning, time and work. FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a radio system comprising a base station controller 100, cross-connection equipment 102, three base stations 104 to 108 and a network management unit 110. The base station 100 is connected by telecommunication connections 112 to the cross-connection equipment 102 to which, in turn, the base station 104 is directly connected, and to which the base stations 106 to 108 are coupled in series such that information supplied from the base station controller to the base station 108 is transmitted via the base station 106. By means of existing methods, each element is to be manually configured in situ one node at a time according to precalculated parameters and schemes. When the equipment is configured and switched on, the configuration parameters can only be changed in a limited manner by means of remote control from the network management unit, for example.
When network elements, either cross-connection equipment or base stations, are to be added to an existing system, for example similar to the system according to FIG. 1, known remote control methods are no longer feasible. When the equipment is physically installed and connected either to an existing or built telecommunication connection with the system, the route between the base station and the base station controller must be manually configured and tested. To date, connections installed have been manually tested by means of test calls. This method is, however, susceptible to errors. The installer making the test calls does not necessarily check all connections, and some transmission errors can be inaudible to the ear. Hence, to add a new element is a time-consuming and demanding procedure also susceptible to errors. Installation personnel is necessary both on the network element installation site and simultaneously at the network control or in connection with the base station controllers. This restricts the time during which installations can be performed.
An object of the invention is thus to provide a method and a system implementing the method so as to enable the above-mentioned problems to be solved. This is achieved by the method of the invention of testing telecommunication connections of a network element to be installed in the radio system comprising one or more network elements, a base station controller and a network management system that are operatively interconnected by means of telecommunication connections comprising traffic channels and control channels, and in which system information between the network elements is transmitted in frames that are divided into time slots, and in which system the base station controller controls one or more network elements, and in which method the network element is physically connected to the system by means of the telecommunication connections. The method of the invention is characterized by the network element transmitting to the base station controller a message comprising information that the network element is ready to be tested, the base station controller initiating a testing procedure after receiving the message from the network element to be installed, and the testing comprising all channels between the base station controller and the network element.
The method of the invention is further characterized by the network element transmitting to the base station controller a message comprising information that the network element is ready to be tested, the base station controller initiating a testing procedure after receiving the message from the network element to be installed, and the testing comprising the transmission of a predetermined test signal pattern in both directions over each network element and base station channel, and a check of the signal pattern thus transmitted and received, and when all channels are tested, the base station controller transmitting a notification of the test having ended to the network element.
The invention further relates to a radio system comprising one or more network elements, a base station controller and a network management system that are operatively interconnected by means of telecommunication connections comprising traffic channels and control channels, and in which system information between the network elements is transmitted in frames that are divided into time slots, and in which system the base station controller controls one or more network elements that comprise network element identification information.
The system of the invention is characterized by the network element to be installed being arranged to transmit to the base station controller a message comprising information that the network element is ready to be tested, the base station controller being arranged to initiate a testing procedure after receiving the message from the network element to be installed, and the testing comprising all channels between the base station controller and the network element.
The system of the invention is further characterized by the network element to be installed being arranged to transmit to the base station controller a message comprising information that the network element is ready to be tested, the base station controller being arranged to initiate a testing procedure after receiving the message from the network element to be installed, and the testing comprising the transmission of a predetermined test signal pattern in both directions over each network element and base station channel, and a check of the signal pattern thus transmitted and received, and when all channels are tested, the base station controller being arranged to transmit a notification of the test having ended to the network element.
The preferred embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the dependent claims.
The invention is based on the idea that connections are tested automatically in the installation phase. Hence, the installer does not have to make test calls manually, but the system automatically tests the connections when the connections are ready to be tested.
The method and system of the invention provide several advantages. In a preferred embodiment of the solution of the invention, a predetermined test pattern and a bit error ratio measurement thereof are used to test the connections. The method based on the bit error ratio is more accurate than the empirical method based on test calls. The solution of the invention enables also errors that are not necessarily noticed during the test calls to be found.
Network element installation into the system is automatized. The amount of necessary manual work decreases significantly. Automation enables potential errors, and, consequently, costs to be reduced. Further, the invention enables faster installations.
Network element installation requires no special and expensive training since automation also reduces the amount of necessary work on the installation site. When, after the physical installation, a network element is switched on, the network element initiates automatic installation by searching the frames received by means of the telecommunication connections for communication control channels of the groups. After the connections and the appropriate base station controller are found, and the necessary channels having automatically been allocated and branched for the use of the network element, the system can automatically test the connections and inform the installer that the connections are working, in other words that the network element is ready for the operational state.